Former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart gave his Hoops successor Kasper Schmeichel a glowing reference years before the pair were involved with the club.
Both ‘keepers came through at Manchester City, enjoying a close friendship which still stands to this day.
Hart made the City first team ahead of Schmeichel, but the duo enjoyed respective loan spells away from the Etihad Stadium in their youth.
Indeed, while the Englishman was at Shrewsbury Town, his Danish mate completed a switch north of the border to Falkirk.
It has now emerged that when the Bairns were looking for a new stopper, Hart gave their manager at the time, John Hughes, a glowing reference about Schmeichel.
The ex-Celt recently spoke on the SPFL Warm-Up show about how he was urged to sign the Bhoys’ current number one.
“We were looking for a goalkeeper, we had buttons,” said Hughes.
“We went down to Manchester City. It’s a funny story because we were in amongst all the scouts.
“I recognised four or five guys with Manchester City traclsuits, and I went over to talk to them, just to ask them, I said ‘What about the goalkeeper Schmeichel?’.
“I didn’t know it was Joe Hart. I didn’t know it at the time, but Joe Hart gave him a glowing reference. He said ‘Aye, he’s different class’.”
Both goalkeepers went on to have equally successful yet different careers, but coincidentally, they will both end their playing days at Celtic.
Hart truly took to the club and understood what it meant, while Schmeichel seems to have done the same over the past few weeks and months.
The Dane has been a quality addition to Brendan Rodgers’ side and is yet to concede a goal in the league.
He will look to keep yet another clean sheet tomorrow against his old team.
